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54
Annual Report of the London County Council, 1914.
Dcntha
among
inmates of
common
lodging
houses.
The following table shows the proportion of deaths from several causes per 1,000 deaths among
males in common lodging-houses, the corresponding figures for London being shown for comparative
purposes. The deaths of persons removed from common lodging-houses to infirmaries and other like
public institutions have been included. The total number of deaths among lodgers (males and
females) in common lodging-houses during the year was 882 ; the large majority of these deaths
occurred in public institutions.

Phthisis in common lodging-houses.
In 1909 the Local Government Board made an Order requiring the notification of phthisis occurring
in poor law practices, and in March, 1911, the requirement of notification was extended to hospitals,
dispensaries and similar institutions. In November of the same year a further Order was made requiring
every medical practitioner, from 1st January, 1912, to notify such cases within forty-eight hours. Thus
from the latter date a complete system of notification of the disease has been in force. Under these
Orders the metropolitan borough councils are required to send weekly to the County Council a return
of the notifications received and from these returns it has been possible to learn, in some degree, the
extent of the disease among inmates of common lodging-houses.
Since 1909 until the end of the year 1914, a total of 1,138 cases of the disease in the common
lodging house population has been notified. Of this total 1,069 were males and 69 females. The age
distribution of 1,117 of these cases was as follows:—
5— 10— 15— 20— 25— 35— 45— 55— 65 and up.
2 1 10 26 170 301 361 202 44
It has been possible in 961 cases to interview the patients, and information was obtained as to
whether their illness began before or after they had resorted to this mode of living. The results were
as follows :—
In 344 cases the onset of the disease was stated to have commenced prior to entering on a
common lodging house life.
In 80 cases it was practically coincident with entry.
In 155 cases the disease first manifested itself within three years of such life.
In 71 cases in from three to five years.
In 141 cases in from five to ten years.
In 121 cases in from ten to twenty years.
In 49 cases after more than twenty years of common lodging house life.
Thus in nearly half the total number the disease must have been already acquired before the
common lodging house environment could possibly have had any influence upon its development. The
place of birth in 297 of the cases was stated to be outside London.
«
Seamen's lodging houses.
In July, 1901, the London County Council made by-laws under Section 214 of the Merchant
Shipping Act, 1894, for the inspection, sanitary condition and well ordering of seamen's lodging houses.
In 1909, after experience of their application, the by-laws were amended, a new series was issued and
came into force on 1st January, 1910. By an Order in Council dated 19th February, 1910, powers were
conferred on the County Council for the licensing of seamen's lodging houses. The first licensing
meeting was held in May of that year and since that date all such premises are annually licensed.